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Trend Drinks

Trend Drinks is the last locally owned regional soft drink manufacturer in South Australia. Historically, South Australia had several regional independent soft drink manufacturers, but the growth of international brands has led to the decline of local independent bottlers.

History

Thomas Jones Monroe established the business in 1876, trading as "Monroe and Co". Charles J. Hamilton formed a partnership with Monroe in 1876, which continued until 1879. Charles Hamilton continued manufacturing aerated waters and cordials with W. Hamilton until 1890, following T.J.Monroe's death in 1879. Production of cordials and aerated water ceased on the Monroe site in 1890.

In 1911 H.J. Wilson reestablished manufacturing, naming his new business "Gladstone, Laura and Georgetown Mineral Water Company", using a Star on his bottles as an identifying trademark.

In 1914 the business was purchased by Frederick Charles Grubb (1880-1958), trading under his own name. Although he studied as a marine engineer, he took an interest in the soft drink industry in 1906 working for George Hall (Hall and Sons, Norwood). Grubb then moved to Renmark, where he joined J. Hisgrove, operating as Hisgrove & Grubb.

After Grubb died in 1958, the business was carried on by his daughter Eula and son-in-law Laurence Zerbe, and later was carried on by their son, Garth.

In 1965 Garth Zerbe changed the trading name to "Trend Drinks" to modernise the image of the business.

Laurence and Eula Zerbe retired from the business in the late 1980s, and eventually sold their share of the business in 1991 to Damian Casey, the production manager at the time.

Garth Zerbe sold his family's remaining interest in the business in 2002, bringing to an end a history of three generation's involvement in the soft drink industry.

Today, the business is a partnership of Amore Syrups and Damian Casey.